Quakes PDL team's Martin del Campo named to U.S. U-23 MNT camp

CHICAGO (Aug. 1, 2014) – An 18-player U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team roster has been named for a five-day camp from Aug. 3-7 at Nassau, Bahamas. The camp will also feature a game against the Bahamas Senior National Team on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the Thompson A. Robinson National Stadium.

Additional players might be added pending the approved release from their clubs.

This camp is part of the USA’s continuing effort to focus early on the qualification process for the 2016 Summer Olympics taking place in Rio de Janeiro. In April, the USA started this phase in earnest with an Under-21 MNT camp at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center.

“The chance to get this group of players together and get ahead of the curve in preparation for Olympic Qualifying in two years’ time is huge,” said U.S. Soccer Technical Director Jurgen Klinsmann. “We began with the U-21 camp in April, and now it’s critical that we have as many camps and games as possible so we can build a deep pool of talent that can qualify for Brazil. The Olympics are an important opportunity for young players, and we have to capitalize on it. We also want to give a big thanks the Bahamas Football Association for hosting us.”

U.S. Men’s National Team staff assistant coaches Tab Ramos and Andi Herzog and goalkeeper coach Chris Woods, as well as U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team head coach Javier Perez, are overseeing the camp.

Real Salt Lake midfielder Dennis Flores and San Jose Earthquakes defender Ramon Martin del Campo are participating in their first U.S. Soccer Youth National Team camp.

Thirteen players have previous ties to U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy.

In the U-21 MNT camp earlier this year, Joya scored two goals, including a game-winner in second-half stoppage time, to lead the USA to a 2-1 victory against Tijuana on April 23. Nine players on the current U-23 roster were part of that U-21 camp: Cuevas, Christian Dean, Gil, Marlon Hairston, Joya, Jordan Morris, Ocegueda, Pineda, Sorto,